Cerberus Daily News - May 2013
For canon information, see the Mass Effect Wiki page for Cerberus Daily News. This page is for CDN members' non-canon additions. The following stories contributed by Cerberus Daily News forum members were published on the CDN newsfeed during May 2013. See the main Cerberus Daily News page for current updates. May 2013 – Week One - [http://www.cerberusdailynews.com/valiant/forum/board/thread/?t=1297 Journalist’s book accuses Alliance of “turning a blind eye” to Cerberus Jelik Moraw, Kithoi Tribune Freelance journalist Andrew Frye has created a storm of controversy around his recently published “See No Evil, Speak No Evil: The Alliance’s Failure”, which accuses the Alliance of neglecting to take effective action against the Cerberus organization in the years prior to the Reaper invasion. Frye in his book made note of the numerous shell corporations as well as wealthy Cerberus sympathizers within the Alliance military-industrial that helped provide funding and resources to the organization, as stated in this excerpt “Companies such as Cord-Hislop Aerospace, CDR Holdings, Haribon Military Industries and other fronts, many that were formed shortly after the Cerberus manifesto was published, had been able to transfer vast amounts of resources for years. But only after the war started, did the Alliance began to properly investigate their ties to the organization”. Frye also went on to accuse the Alliance of dismissing the pre-war reports that were published by both the STG and Spectre intelligence regarding Cerberus’ increase in military strength prior to its invasion and occupation of Omega. Since the book’s release, Alliance officials have derided Curtis’ book as “Sensationalist and groundless journalism”. Spoke Adjutant Elizabeth Curtis “The Alliance was engaged in numerous counter-terror operations aimed at curbing Cerberus’ influence well before the invasion. To say that we dismissed the threat Cerberus presented is a complete falsehood, and it should make anyone question Mr. Frye’s credibility as a journalist.” Despite the outcry by the Alliance, or perhaps because of it, Frye’s book has appeared on several #1 bestseller lists alongside other books riding off the backlash against the Alliance for its pre and post-war policy decisions. 05/03/13 - Ancient Asari Artifacts Discovered on Palaven, Prompting “Visitor” Discussion Nas Phunitori, Palaven - Three years have passed since the Reaper Occupation of Palaven, and even now, new things are still being brought from the wreckage and rubble into the light. While the majority of Palaven has been largely rebuilt thanks to efforts from the Vol Protectorate and the Alliance, the amount of damage in some capital cities is still extensive enough that deep-crust excavation is required to remove the worst of the scars. However, it seems that the excavation has unearthed more than just broken buildings and old bones. According to Reconstruction Site Manager (A Grade) Tannis Calvekkian, Heirarchy Reconstruction Efforts Inc. uncovered an ancient turian burial chamber under Nas Phunitori - a chamber with some unusual secrets. “We cracked it open when we were moving debris from Dret Park,” Calvekkian told the press earlier this morning. “There’d been a lot of infrastructure damage there, and a lot of the old plumbing and electrical work from a few centuries ago had to be replaced. We ended up digging in deeper than we expected and that’s when we discovered it.” ‘It’ turned out to be an ancient turian burial chamber that has been dated back to the Jikorge era, or about two thousand years ago, back when Nas Phunitori was first founded by the Jikorge settlers. The burial chamber itself was considered an oddity by the Nas Phunitori Planning and Historical Council, who had no idea such a thing was even hidden in Dret Park; but the fact that the chamber contained several artifacts that were decidedly of asari origin resulted in some startling revelations, to say the least. “Look at these; these aren’t turian artifacts, certainly not of the Jikorge era” Professor Durchet Valanisiri told a mob of raving reporters at a conference this afternoon. “We hadn’t even made contact with the asari at this point yet, and yet these are clearly asari artifacts. No turian hand ever made these. No turian hand of that era would know how.” Among the artifacts listed are an assault rifle, a sidearm of some kind, a partial set of ceramic armor, and several technological artifacts of indeterminate purpose. However, no asari remains were reported discovered in the burial chamber. Durchet went on to say that the remains were clearly several thousand years old. “While we haven’t tested these thoroughly yet, cursory radiological testing suggests that these artifacts are far older than Nas Phunitori itself. These weapons are older than a great deal of turian society.” Representatives of the Asari government refused to comment on the matter, but a statement is expected soon. The Hierarchy, however, has promised it would “get to the bottom of this mystery” and “reveal the truth as soon as all the facts were available.” May 2013 - Week Two 05/06/13 - Military Coup in Robath Rebel Faction Seizes Control, Lifts Blackout By Casos Tigia, Tayseri Times Samhaus, MEGALOS BREACH - Contact has been reestablished with the Freehold today, revealing a political landscape vastly altered by both revolution and the pandemic known as the “Robath Blue.” According to sources within the new Arcitis-led Court, uninfected civilians within quarantine zones began challenging the state units maintaining the barricades, demanding screening measures for evacuation and for government forces to provide aid in securing and stabilizing the infected. Shortly after the blackout imposed by the Esatha government, these challenges became protests, protests escalated into riots, riots drew the attention of infected bands and, according to numerous corroborating accounts, state forces opened fire on the crowds. “It was like hell,” said Masatus Rom, 34, a survivor of that night. “People were shouting, the soldiers at the barricade were shouting back. And then we saw better than two dozen infected come ‘round the corner. Biters came at us, we started pushing against the wall trying to get out. Someone on top opened fire, and then everyone was firing. Flares were going up, heard a gunship coming down, right about when I threw myself into an alley and started running.” Shortly after the incident, turian forces and allied batarian units rose in open rebellion, clashing with state forces and asari huntress bands. Aided by external paramilitary forces and an ever-increasing number of defections among loyalist units, anti-Esatha forces moved rapidly, securing Naraklor’s primary spaceport, Battle Station Ishtak, the Royal Quarter, and the Hall of Lords within days. Several weeks later, rebel forces achieved orbital superiority and the surrender of loyalist armies. “It wasn’t right, what we were doing, what we were being ordered to do,” explained Corporal Sarga, whose unit was atop the barricade during the riots and counted themselves among the first to defect. “There’s just a certain point where you’re like ‘No, no, no more’.” Esatha has since been stripped of his titles and placed under house arrest. The evacuation of uninfected from the quarantine zones has commenced as promised, with healthy civilians moved to temporary housing outside the city as the infected are subdued and transferred to holding facilities in secure areas. “This is the dawn of a new day, with all the hope and promise that brings,” Lord Arcitis commented in his first official address to the reconvened Court of Lords, a conference that was publicly televised throughout Robath space. Despite optimistic views in the capital and beyond, the coup has provoked rumblings of discontent among the semi-independent asari protectorates and conservative counter-revolutionary factions. “There are consequences for everything,” stated Matriarch N’Rosa when asked for comment. 05/08/13 - Tour Epira 2188 Launched Paddy Maloo – Sports Republics HARBOUR SONG - After two years of forced hiatus, the Tour Epira has been relaunched at Harbour Song. As a major race for single-hand catamaran sailors across the galaxy, this tour features a difficult course across the Helios Sea and stars many fan-favorite locations, including the Silent Islands and the Hurricane Highway. 120 entrants form a relatively small field compared to previous events, but given the current state of the galaxy, it’s to be expected. In fact, Organizer and President of the Harbour Song Yacht Club Vesis T’Mara says that “the reception of the announcement half a year ago was very positive. We were prepared for more participants, but we are nonetheless satisfied with the quality of the field.” In more somber news, 2186 Tour Epira Champion Celda T’Vanse died on Thessia during the Reaper attacks. To honor the great sportswoman, the Celda T’Vance Trophy for Best Rookie has been established and will be awarded after the Tour’s completion. No fewer than 35 participants are eligible for this trophy. Among the entrants are humans, salarians, two batarians and a quarian, but mostly asari, with the current favorite being two-time Champion Larissa Vadir of Nevos. The Tour will last 90 days. 05/10/13 - Turmoil Tears Apart Refugee Colony The galaxy at large is reeling in shock today as news of deplorable conditions and rampant violence come from the refugee colony of New Yamalia. Founded in the wake of the Reaper attacks, New Yamalia, or "The Yam" as locals have begun to call it, quickly fell into a power struggle by numerous factions. "Oh, there were a good three or four," recalls former colonial Tevin Sokrost. "You had the volus benefactor, he paid for the gig, then the fellows with guns, and there were a lot of ethnic divisions... Very messy." The benefactor in question, Dorn Kolt, had made large profits shortselling pre-fabricated shelters in the wake of the Geth Crisis. In what some are calling an act of unrequited charity, he personally funded the expedition and rapid colonization of New Yamalia in order to evade the reaches of Reaper Forces. The colony barely survived, having slipped unnoticed only long enough for the war to end. There are some, however, who feel that Kolt's motives were not so sincere. "Anyone could have told you he was in it to turn money from it later on. But we didn't ask questions, we did what we had to to survive," Sokrost recalls. "There was talk of mutiny only if we lived. Guess it did come to that, didn't it?" Communications to and from the Yam are currently sporadic. When briefly asked if he would call in mercenaries, Kolt replied ambiguously. "I certainly do not want certain groups, such as the Blue Suns or Eclipse, to intervene. This would only bolster the illusions the Khar'Shan-Clan have about their majority rule, and I fear the Earth-Clan are also becoming unruly. I would not desire to give the large mercenary groups another theater of operations for themselves. Neutrality is the second most important thing we need, after order." Unconfirmed reports of civilian massacres and wanton destruction were refused comment by Kolt, though he did state that "the partisans are no more than a group of thugs." "Right, of course he'd say that," offered Sokrost. "What he isn't mentioning is that his men are thugs, too." May 2013 - Week Three 05/15/13 - New Regime Brings Promise, Growing Pains Samhaus, MEGALOS BREACH - Celebration flew across Freehold space today as government researchers have tentatively confirmed a potential cure for the Robath Blue. “As we said it’s very much in the early, if promising, stages, explained Dr. Quietas outside his office. “The virus itself is...well, a virus. Not a whole lot that we can do about it beyond manage the symptoms…but we may, and I stress the may, be able to deal with the microfauna serving as a vector. The pathogen is extremely fragile on its own, fragile enough that the body’s own immune system could deal with it without you feeling much more than flu-like symptoms. Take away the vector, boom, no more Blue.” The project has seen widespread support thus far, including both public and private entities such as the Intergalactic Red Cross and Chimera BioMedical contributing doctors, research, and medical supplies. Meanwhile, evacuation efforts continue in the contaminated zones, with officials releasing lists of the relocated, the infected, and the deceased every twenty-hour cycle. Current estimates place approximately 62% of the quarantined population as “accounted for.” Progress under the Arcitis Court has not been without backlash. As of yesterday evening, twelve lords, including asari notables, hard-line conservative elements, and close ties to the recently deposed Lord Esatha have formally withdrawn from the Court. Many see this move as a precursor to a second uprising. Several battalions and a flotilla of paramilitary forces have been hired on an “indefinite” basis by the Arcitis government, and state units have been deployed on “security exercises” in response. “former Lords are more than entitled to their own opinions, and if they wish for there to be civil discourse, I am more than happy to oblige,” Lord Arcitis told assembled reporters in a press conference today. The lords in question could not be reached for comment. 05/17/13 - The Primarch of Firepower is Dead, All Hail the Primarch - A Retrospective Hiral Calgomis, Safety Off Weekly The galaxy (or at least the important, firearm aficionado part of it) is still reeling from the surprise reveal of the Bruja’s successor. Haliat Armory’s entry into the tender was considered something of a joke at first, and few expected their Squall to come out the victor. Already the extranet is full of voices raised in outrage, damning the choice and praising their favorite’s qualities, some going as far as to cry foul and invoke political favoritism. And let’s face it, the Squall is not the best at everything. It does not throw firepower downrange like the JAKOBS, it’s not as accurate as the Abroholos, or as beautiful as the Zealot, but it doesn’t have to be. Commentators with more than a bit of experience and knowledge, such as SAMC quartermaster Jason Roost, or Executor (ret.) Parahax, admit to the Squall’s shortcomings, but praise its lightweight, robust construction, the ability to be fully serviced in the field with nothing more complex than a basic omni-tool, and the intimidation factor of a noisy, high rate of fire and capacity weapon. But what of the runners up? We here at Safety Off Weekly reached out to manufacturers and bidders to find out just that. First considered a sure winner, Armax Arsenal’s Grinder may never actually see the light of day. Designed from the ground up to serve as the Organ Grinder’s successor, its development was marked by setback after setback. A surprisingly poor showing from a company that was one of the greats... in another, pre-war age. Rosenkov Materials’ JAKOBS (a licensed modification of the N7 Typhoon) was a strong contender, but even despite its immense firepower, it proved simply too heavy and unwieldy to be practical, and its proprietary cooling system would add another few links to the Hierarchy’s already overburdened supply chain. However, all might not be lost - the JAKOBS-H, an experimental variant with an active cooling system, meant to be mounted on armored vehicles, has raised enough interest for the company to look into putting it into production. The Zealot-B will remain part of the armament of the Asari Republics’ armed forces. Though an efficient weapon, the Reaper War more than demonstrated just how vulnerable it was to wear and tear, and how reliant on unbroken supply chains. Sources within the Republic suggest that a replacement may be sought for eventually, but given the recent issues, likely not in most of our lifetimes. Confederacy Arms Manufacture’s XAR/2H Abroholos raised eyebrows and doubts when the prototypes were demonstrated. There was, at one point, a joke that CAM misheard the requirements and provided a full auto sniper rifle. Then came the production, “Mark 2” model, even more accurate, even more ammo efficient, and with the bipod redesigned to double as a secondary front grip. Eventually rejected for reasons undisclosed but speculated to be unintuitive use, it will soon be put into use in the Confederacy’s armed forces. Unfortunately, CAM does not currently intend to sell any version of this weapon on the open market. As for the Revenant, it remains a solid choice, just as it remains practically legally impossible to acquire, but we’ve already said more than enough about the legal headache that is its Fabrication Rights Management. And lastly, a honorable mention for Elkoss Combine’s Terminator-H which, even though never considered a real contender, is making a quiet killing on the free market, its initial reputation as a weaker Revenant equivalent quickly replaced by one of a fairly reliable, slightly weaker version of the Revenant... with a much lower price tag. May 2013 - Week Four 05/21/13 - Newcomer Wows at Citadel Cybernetics Expo Presidium Daily A routine exhibition of the Citadel Cybernetics Expo has taken a turn for the interesting today as Mason Barnette, of newly-created Barnette Innovative Applications, wowed the crowd with a closed-door presentation of a new invention. Codenamed “Petrarch,” little is actually understood about the product aside from the demonstration made by Barnette, but Presidium Cybernetics contributor Xhoar’zen stated that the system displayed ran on a brand-new, exciting interface. “We saw him performing menial tasks and the like, nothing fancy at all, just running various programs as anyone would,” Xhoar’zen stated after the demonstration. “Yet he was doing this without an omni-tool or any physical commands. All the processes and programs seemed to be keyed through implants matched with his nervous system.” Furthermore, several individuals present confirmed that Barnette successfully ran an active-cloaking program through the same process, reappearing seconds later sitting in the middle of the audience. When asked, Mr. Barnette admitted this was achieved through a rented cloaking device, but was intended to show the kinds of possibilities he intended for the Petrarch system. Barnette was particularly vocal throughout the demonstration, making mention of the human Dark Ages and drawing a relation between them and the Reaper War. He also harshly criticized Council Space’s “focus on repairs and not the future.” “To this I must ask, have we not waited long enough?” he asked the audience during the demonstration. “Did we not, as a whole, simply sit back and wait for the arrival of the great enemy?…No, greatness must be seized and brought down: the future must be taken held of or slipped away.” Several market analysts have already raised questions over the capabilities of “Petrarch” and whether or not it would actually live up to Barnette’s claims. Indeed, all that was shown of the system in action only lasted about five minutes, and very little was shown that current high level omni-tools cannot do themselves. Most attendants agree, however, that the presentation was influential, and many have expressed hopes that later releases will back his claim of wanting “to help change this galaxy.” A full transcript of Mr. Barnette’s address can be found http://www.cerberusdailynews.com/valiant/forum/board/thread/?t=1373 May 2013 - Week Five 05/28/13 - Ad'Thoro Pact Begins Massive Blood Drive As the Reaper War’s second anniversary approaches in the ATP-Standard Calendar, the Pact is gearing up for the second annual Reaper Memorial Blood Drive across the Nemean Abyss, the Terminus and its own consulates in council space. Dozens of Automated Blood Collection Drones (DDG Drones) have been brought to the consulates of ATP member nations on the Citadel, and medical professionals have been brought in from the Terminus in order to handle the expected influx of blood donors when the day arrives. In the Nemean Abyss this year, the Drive will expand its operations to include Thorana, a mark of the rising safety of the Theocracy's former capitol. Sultanate officials have promised to make the safety of the drive their highest priority. Captain Fatima Khan of the Sultanate's Jannissaries has claimed that the drive will be 'completely safe' and that she thinks that the galaxy as a whole will be 'pleasantly surprised by what happens on the day'. Despite this, many claim that it is too soon to expand the drive to the Abyss, and are insistent that this move will only end in tragedy. Already conspiracy theorists across the galaxy are claiming that the blood drive is a calamity waiting to happen. Some claim that it is a terminus plot to distribute nanoplague and surveillance nanotech to C-Space citizens. Others claim that groups like Sovereign Nation and the Hierophant's Children plan to use the drives as a target for massive terror attacks. Citadel officials are currently tolerating the drive, though a smaller, competing drive have been set up by The Gated Garden Movement, urging citizens not to associate with what they call Terminus Space 'Pirate States'. 05/31/13 - Terminus Unlimited Expo Returns to Omega By Tabitha Pierce, Tayseri Times Omega, Omega Nebula- The Savarian Amphitheater was positively swarming with work crews and day laborers today as the station prepared for the official opening of what many consider to be one of the largest displays of weapons technology and mercenary interests in Terminus space. A week long almost festive event that blends commerce and celebration, occurring at least once (depending on the state of geopolitical affairs and relative advances in warfare or the fortunes of the various groups involved) every five years, the Expo is a mainstay of Omega culture. And in fact, many on the station consider the reappearance of the TUE so soon after the war to be a very good sign, emblematic of the Terminus’s newfound levels of prosperity and ongoing economic recovery, “war, in a lot of ways, is the lifeblood of this place,” commented event co-ordinator Jericho Yasil, “by Saturday there’s going to be a few million pieces of product that’ve changed hands, hundred plus contracts that’ve been signed, and everyone’s going to go home a couple credits richer”. The sheer volume of traffic to the station in spite of Relay restrictions over the past several weeks would appear to support Mr. Yasil's assessment if nothing else. Transports, cargo haulers, and private vessels crowd the Omega docks and, quite literally, every hotel between the Yazan District and Concourse Zeta was booked solid as of two days ago. “It’s crazy,” said Palio Cinni, owner of the East Gate, an upscale hotel complex in Omega’s Erisi Belt, “one day we’ve got almost nobody, just the odd businessman and diplomat, the next? We have to turn people away and tell them ‘Sorry but there are no vacancies’.” The Exposition itself has a long and storied history, with past notables including Warlord Drau Hravak, Matriarch Isandis, and Xon Uvoua. Widely attended, even by ostensibly Citadel Space based entities, companies such as Elanus Risk Control Services, Ariake Technologies, Armax Arsenal, Kassa Fabrications, Hahne-Kedar and Elkoss are expected to maintain a significant presence in addition to TUE mainstays such as Corel Heavy Industries, Eclipse, the Blue Suns, Blood Pack, and MercNet. The listings for special exhibitions and panels may be found[here.] Category:Cerberus Daily News Articles